Black Panther: The Album expected to top charts, film eyeing $170 million opening

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It’s no The Greatest Showman, but there’s a slight chance that Black Panther’s soundtrack could find similar success. Ok, who’re we kidding, it’s definitely going to stomp everything in its path. In fact, Black Panther: The Album is already heading for a number one debut on next week’s Billboard 200 albums chart, according to Billboard itself.

The Kendrick Lamar-produced and -curated album features heavy hitter after heavy hitter, all creating tracks from or about the newest Marvel film. The Grammys behind this superhero soundtrack are overwhelming and will certainly slice-and-dice the stats of Fifty Shades Freed’s soundtrack, which will make its chart debut at the same time. If only it had a superhero.

While Black Panther: The Album has released hit singles (like “All The Stars,” “King’s Dead,” and “Pray For Me”) and been streaming for a few days, the album’s real bump in anticipation will come this week as we near the film’s launch. Industry insiders predict the soundtrack could see its chart debut “with over 100,000 equivalent album units earned in the week ending February 15.”

After smashing pre-sale records, the film that inspired the album looks to continue picking up steam ahead of its actual premiere.

With latest box office forecasts putting Black Panther at an earth-shattering $170 million for its opening holiday weekend (after more tepid, yet still record-breaking figures were passed on by), anything and everything that is associated with the property looks to benefit from the overwhelming hype surrounding it.

Black Panther comes out on February 16, while the album’s chart position will be revealed on the 18th.